Rachel is not the same horse as last year.  Her interest in racing seems to have dropped.  I think her connections would be better served by letting her fans remember her as she was and retire her to the broodmare band.  I would rather see her foals run then watch her struggle as she is now.

RA had her head turned out, kept lugging in, and had some very rough lead changes.  Can anyone say chiropractor?

She received a 110 SF which is nothing to sneeze at. I think she will be fine, she may not be beating up Quality Road anytime soon but its nothing to retire her over.

The race couldn't have been that bad since she got a 110 BSF, and if you look at the stretch closly you will see that RA did not lug in, Queen Martha behind her was moving out.

I don't know why people keep thinking that this lugging out, rough lead change thing is new...She did it her three year old year as well...aka the Mother Goose Stakes (for example) and she won by 20 in a stakes record. She also did it a bit in the Kentucky Oaks..point made. Didn't seem to bother her those days, and it didn't yesterday at well. I think the mares effort yesterday was just fine, she did what she needed to do to win, just like Zen and I think both mares look just fine. I look foward to them both continuing to improve the rest of the season!!

After watching RA race, maybe it was the better choice. I just don't know if she is ready, or even intrested, in racing fillies of her level. I don't see her in the Classic this year, and if she goes to the Ladies Claissic I think she will have a tough time winning, if she can win at all. I'm a die hard Zen fan, but I don't want to see RA like this. If she isn't happy, then she won't win.

Tough to watch the reigning horse of the year running against non-graded competition. Funny that folks complain when Zenyatta runs in nothing but Grade 1s in California, but say nothing when it's almost August and the HOY is still running against glorified claimers. It would be much better to retire Rachel than to keep up with the "Rachel will run in your local stakes if you cough up $$$" sideshow that this year has become for her.

I was at Monmouth yesterday also.

I am seeing something else entirely. I think team Rachel is determined to teach her to relax, not be on the lead, go to the front on the far turn or the stretch so that she will be at her best when and if she does face Zenyatta.  She cannot beat Zenyatta if she goes to the front, sets a sucidal pace, turns back all challengers and then hold off Zenyatta. The heat was horrific and it was certainly a day to win and get something out of it.  She did exactly what they asked her to do.  

Seeing as it was 103 degrees with a heat index of 110, I know, I was suffering through it, and many horses scratched and some didn't even finish their race, I say Bravo to Team Rachel!  Why in the world would you take your star horse and try to win by 20 lengths just because you can when she might suffer from heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, when you can simply get the job done and save some in the tank for tomorrow.  Some tracks in the area closed for the day due to the heat and had Rachel not been running, Monmouth probably would have closed too it was that hot.  Every horse there had a look on their face of Why? Besides the fact that Rachel also ran a 110 Beyer speed figure in the excessive heat, struggling?  I think not.  

While I don't expect the Jacksons to understand a horse's body language, I DO expect Asmussen to do that...and do it well! Can they not see that the once mighty Rachel is here but would rather be anywhere else? She's still good, but against who? Queen Martha pushed her hard and rightly so. Clearly, Rachel is not the filly she was last year, and I agree with "adoration": Rachel should have been certified in foal by now, but is, instead, racing with very little enthusiasm or heart. Sad for her, but thank goodness she neither knows nor cares that she is being embarrassed by her connections.

Cheers and safe trips.

Adoration-

I would agree with you if she was getting beat by 5 or 6 lengths. She has lost twice by a head bob and won twice this year. Every horse race is tough.I will agree she doesn't seem as brisk as last year, but to say she has struggled is a bit of an overstatement.

You must be a Zenyatta fan. If you would like to see struggling check out Zenyatta's last race.

geez, I thnik its kinda weird that people are lambasting Jackson for continuing to race Rachel when normally we have to beg owners to race their stars past their 3 year old year...

"Devil May Care, on her way to a showdown with Blind Luck in the Alabama Stakes, won the furlong-shortened feature."

Did I miss the memo that all of our historic races are now being shortened?  Do the industry leaders want to compete with quarter horses for sprinters?

The Suburban and now the CCA Oaks shortened?  Why?  Am I the only one that thinks that this is the absolutely wrong direction for horse racing.  We need to be encouraging breeders to breed for soundness and stamina; not reducing our great races to glorified sprints.

Disappointed with the margin of victory but given the high temperature/humidity it was a good paid work-out for the reigning HOTY.  Looking forward to seeing her in the Personal Ensign and dreaming of a surprise show up by Zenyatta and Life At Ten ...a Breeder's Cup preview for the ages.  Why is it so difficult for a race like this to materialize while the horses are fit, sound and in good form?

Has anyone considered that the plan for Rachel now might be simply  to maximize the return on investment before she retires?

If that's the case, she's having a very successful year.

To a Rachel Radical, lugging, bad lead changes, and running with a head cocked out is just par for the course.  As a breeder and trainer, it tells me there is a problem with balance.  I'm not putting the horse down, I'm saying there is something in the way she is traveling that indicates a problem.

Don't mean to jump on the obvious here tvnews, but RA is going to have to do a lot more racing if there will be ANY return on investment.  JJ paid a king's ransom for her.

Can't wait for the Alabama.  Devil May Care and Blind Luck, wow what a race. Two super fillies racing each other.  What a concept.

 Somebody got to sit Beyer down and address these speed figures. How can RA beat an overnight stakes horse by 3 and get a 110? She hasn't been that good since last summer, and that is even debatable.

 Now we have synthetic horses running mid 90's and improving 10 points when they come to run on dirt.

 Check out the Gulfstream turf runners when they come back north. Their Beyer numbers are always inflated, and subsequently over bet up here. It's been like that for years now.

Claire, I had the same impression of Rachel's race, and it did not seem to me like she had to work all that hard.  She did all Calvin asked, on a loose rein, and won her race.  I hope they try the Personal Ensign and let her go for ten furlongs now.  There's been so much trash talk about that distance for her.  It's time to step up.      

During the whole race, I felt that Rachel would in fact win. Like most of you, I was concerned about the heat affecting her and all of the horses.

I have to give a thumbs up to QUEEN MARTHA and Joe Bravo. That was an impressive 2nd place win! No easy task leading Rachel most of them way...

I don't understand why Rachel's race yesterday deserved a 110 beyer. I always thought beyers were based off of times, track variant, and competition. Her time was slow, the track was fast, and none of her rivals had won a graded stakes race. Zenyatta ran a faster time against graded stakes winners in the Vanity and only got a 103. Zenyatta also only got a 103 in the Ladies Classic, where she be Ginger Punch among others in a time of 1:46 4/5, almost 3 seconds faster than Rachel's race yesterday. I'm not saying that one horse is better than the other. It just seems to me that beyers are seriously flawed.

sorry to say but how a non graded race purse be equal to or more than a grade 1 race.

We know the purse was increased to attract Rachel, this was a great train robbery for a workout against non graded winners/classified allowance winners.

I have no problem if it was a grade 1 race & the purse was increased to attract a HOTY.

I agree with you FourCats. Get the CCA Oaks back up to 1-1/2 miles like it was in the 70's. People say that it's too hard on the horses to run the longer races and to race too frequently. Come on!

Take a look at Citation. Came in second in the Chesapeake Trial Stakes, came back and won the Chesapeake Stakes five days later. Then he won the Derby Trial and Kentucky Derby in the same week. Won the Preakness, the 1-1/4 Jersey Stakes, then the Belmont for the triple crown just two weeks later. He wasn't finished either. The 16 in a row was completed in his 5th year.

How about the other horses. Look through the Top 100 of the 20th Century and see how those horses ran. They didn't put pillows on their feet either.

Her Beyer figure (which I thought was way too high) has been downgraded to a 105.

 Steve Asmussen has stated that the ultimate goal for Rachel Alexandra is the Breeders Cup Championships but he is not stating

which race.If he means the Classic

then it is extremely important that her next race should be at 10 furlongs and the Personal Ensign on Aug 29th at Saratoga would make a lot of sense.

Claire,

I believe that you are right. Ever since her return every indication of teaching her to rate has been evident in every race. Even some works in company.  She still wears the nose band in works but I am glad that they lost it in the afternoon - she fought it too much.

She cannot race with Quality Road's early fractions I am thinking & cannot hold off Zenyatta's (or Blame's) late charge racing in 22 & 45. Throw Lookin At Lucky in the mix & rating would seem to be her best shot at hitting the board IF IN FACT they are pointing toward the Classic.  I am comfortable with her improvement with each race. MANY of the greatest racehorses started out slow after a stellar year & I have nothing but patience & adoration for this lovely mare.

I hope that the Personal Ensign, being her first 10f race, no?, will prove a do-able distance for Rachel. Another step towards the ultimate question in MY mind - Can she get the distance in THE Classic?

No matter where she runs, whom she runs against (though the ungraded race was a disappointment), or how much she wins (or misses) by, I love the ride she gave me last year & she will always be a heart-horse in my book. Let 'er rip, Rachel!

I'd like somebody to give me actual evidence that Rachel isn't happy and doesn't enjoy running anymore. I'd love to see you try...

I had missed the race & came here to the Bloodhorse to read how Rachel did. When I read the headline "Rachel has to work in Lady's Secret victory" I thought she had a near-miss victory but when I saw the replay, I was wondering if the author, Jason Shandler, witnessed the same race I had seen? She wasn't struggling and was, in fact, in hand; she didn't even feel the whip? After the wire, she continued to gallop out practically halfway down the back stretch and Calvin had to stand straight up to get her to stop. If she looked washed out it was probably because she just had a bad hair day from the extreme heat and humidity.

@gladiator

do you know the difference between Grade 1 & non graded Stakes.

Its a disgrace that the owners of a HOTY horse is running CONSTANTLY against Grade 3 or Restricted(non graded) horses.

She rated well without fighting Calvin; looked happier in the race than before; and she saved a lot by not trying to bring home short fractions when she passed Queen Martha. She came home with a lot in the tank....could have put out more if she had to.  Her Beyer is impressive, and for the challenge she's facing this year...that of coming back to full form...she's doing very well. If it wasn't a "hype" for some, I can't imagine that it matters, at all, right now.  

Right after I watched the race I looked for Bloodhorse's headlines and was baffled/shocked by Jason's "Rachel had to Work".  I don't think he saw the race...!!! That was a walk in the park for her, as it should have been.  Loose rein; no whip; no close call; no way any of the rest were even close to threatening.  She ran out well after the race and came back to the winner's circle not blowing.  Such a shame Bloodhorse let those headlines reach their audience!  

Jeez... I'd rather see this great filly to lose against top horses, no matter if Zenyatta or Blame or anybody else...  than to win such "manipulated" well-paid workout.

What's that even for? For fans? For this filly? Why do I think that such "no need to really run" race won't help her much to improve her condition... And no matter how it's presented by her trainer and owner, we already know there's something wrong with her... with races they choose for her. This is no "slow start" into new year, it isn't april or may now, this is already horse pretty out of his old form! Why not to say that loud? It takes nothing out of her and her remarkable championship season... not in the eyes of anybody involved in racing, I believe, not only her fans...

I just miss some of old-fashioned honour here. Either let her compete in the races she belongs to... or if she doesn't belong there anymore, then continue in the current style... But then it would be worth stopping using words "Breeders' Cup", it sounds pretty stupid.

New Orleans Lady,

I agree with you...the way the article is written I was expecting to see something like Rachel's first 2 races this year with the only difference being that she happened to win in the end...

Here is what I saw...

I saw a great ride... start to finish..  look at the replay again and note the start... she had a great start..

She was perfectly positioned all the way around... at just before the 3/4 pole she was about 3/4 lengths back and then Calvin asked her to close it a little bit...she responded with just enough to get even...

Last year it seemed that when Calvin asked her.... she had the one move which allowed her to separate from the rest of the field....

On Saturday, Calvin asked her the first time and she got even at around the 3/4 pole... and then surprisingly she just stayed there around the turn until they straightened up...

When you watch the replay look at what happens right as they straighten up at the top of the stretch...

Calvin asks her ... and there is one stride clearly visible where her body rears up (in a good way) as she takes off with an authoratative stride... and a few  strides later she is 3 lengths in front...

That tells me a couple of things... the first is she is capable of multiple moves...

she rated great, when asked the second time she took off... and it was later in the race than usual...

.. they might be using that as a training tactic... In a 1 1/4 race she is going to have to wait longer before she starts to accelerate ... maybe they were teaching her to rate and wait until later in the race before the final acceleration...  

at a 1 1/4 if she accelerates at the 3/4 pole there is too much distance left and she runs the risk of somebody catching her...

It looks like the training lessons are working...

Now they need to try the Personal Ensign to see if it will work...  at 1 1/4...

www.youtube.com/watch

"I had missed the race & came here to the Bloodhorse to read how Rachel did. When I read the headline "Rachel has to work in Lady's Secret victory" I thought she had a near-miss victory but when I saw the replay, I was wondering if the author, Jason Shandler, witnessed the same race I had seen? She wasn't struggling and was, in fact, in hand; she didn't even feel the whip? After the wire, she continued to gallop out practically halfway down the back stretch and Calvin had to stand straight up to get her to stop. If she looked washed out it was probably because she just had a bad hair day from the extreme heat and humidity."

I do not know what race some of you were watching, but both top two horses were running with loose reins and relaxed jockeys. Both horses ran a very good race. Queen Martha was not straining in second and Rachel was just fine in front.

It was 104 degrees and if it was my horse I would not have run the animal in that heat. Any animal would look washed out running in that heat. If you look at the slideshow here in the Bloodhorse you can see how much larger and heavier RA is than last year. She is working into form more slowly than one might expect, but she is getting there. There will not be a Classic in her future this year, but maybe next year she will be ready. In the meantime, lets all enjoy watching her improve knowing that Zenyatta and RA will be in racing history as the best female horses of their decade. Maybe of all time.

Stop picking on her. Breeding season is 7 months away. Let her finish up this year!  I think she looked awesome.

I wonder how everyone else can acknowledge that the track was basically dead and playing very slow that day and then "stevebiscuit " comes in and says the track was playing fast.  Mind boggling to me, I guess just trying to knock the Horse of the Year eh.

I love Rachel she was breath taking last year to see up front and close. Maybe last year was a bit harder on her then anyone knows...One person also mentioned that Steve ultimate goal is to run the BC this year. Everyone knows she loves the track and having maybe baby steps is what is best for her this year. I love Zenyatta, I will say last year I feel that RA did out do Zenyatta but this year I feel its Zenyatta year so far. Another comment made was interesting knowing the factions of the BC from front runner and the kick that Z has maybe they are rating her so she can win BC this year.......

I'm not knocking anyone Afleetalexforever. I simply read on the chart that the track was listed as fast. My mistake. But slow track or not, her performance deserved a sub-100 beyer speed figure.

I think RA did just fine in LS. She had no need to beat this group by 20.  It was scorching hot and the humidity was off the charts.

She is being trained back slowly and that is wise wise thing to do. her Beyers were good...she galloped out fine and is still moving forward.

What she did as a 3 year old FILLY is unheard of....and she must be brought back slowly. She is reigning horse of the year for a good reason.  Let's do remember folks....she has had 4 starts 2 wins 2 seconds this year.  If the horses name was anyone but RA it would be impressive resume in the publics eyes.  To me we are lucky she came back at all at 4 after that gruelling 3 yr old campaign.

Good on Team Jackson and Steve A for doing what is best for their filly.  Bravo Rachel!  you look dang good to me.